Packaging Quick Start Guide: 5 Steps to Effective Packaging

Reading Time: 5 Minutes

Choosing packaging can feel overwhelming when launching a new product. There are so many options, approaches, and technical details to consider to create packaging that functions well and looks good. Here’s the encouraging news: Many of our most successful customers started right where you are now, not knowing exactly what they needed. 

To make the packaging process a little less daunting, we created this 5-step guide to help you choose, design, and develop your packaging. You’ll notice there’s a lot that needs to happen before you place your first order. Following these steps will help you make smart packaging choices, avoid common mistakes, and confidently bring your product to market.

1. Choose a Packaging Partner That Can Evolve With You
2. Determine The Size, Shape, and Function of Your Package
3. Design Graphics and Artwork
4. Refine Your Packaging With Prototypes
5. Place Your First Commercial Order

Step 1: Choose a Packaging Partner That Can Evolve With You

Your first step is arguably the most important: Find a packaging partner that can reliably meet your current packaging needs and your anticipated future needs.

The most important questions to ask when you evaluate packaging suppliers, include:

• What packaging products do you offer? 
• How can I be sure I’ll always be able to get my packaging when I need it?
• Can you produce packaging prototypes?
• Do you have a team that can advise me on the packaging type my product needs?
• Do you offer digital printing, conventional printing, or both? 
• How do you ensure color consistency between runs and different products? 
• Can your packaging solutions scale with my business as it grows?

Compare the answers you get from packaging suppliers to your needs: how quickly you need your packaging, how much you need today, how much you expect your volumes to grow, and how much guidance you need to bring your packaging to market efficiently and effectively. If you have growth plans on the horizon, choose a partner that can help you at every stage, whether just getting started with prototypes or reaching full-scale production. 

The best packaging partners will be committed to your success. They’ll streamline the entire packaging process for you, help you choose the best packaging for your product, and act as an extension of your team by looking for opportunities to innovate and add efficiencies as you grow.

Step 2: Determine The Size, Shape, and Function of Your Package

Above all, your packaging must protect your product and be easy to use. To confirm your packaging checks these two critical boxes, answer the following questions:

• What type of packaging do you need? Does your product need a container, like flexible packaging (a pouch) or a folding carton? What about a pressure sensitive label? Does it need secondary packaging, like a folding carton for displaying on a retail shelf?
• What size and shape does it need to be? What are your product’s dimensions? Does your package need to be shelf-ready so it’s easy for retailers to stack and display it alongside other items in its category? Or is a unique size and shape important to differentiate it in the market? What’s the best label size and placement to maximize your marketing space?
• What conditions must your packaging withstand to protect your product? Will it be shipped across the country? Will it be stored in varying temperatures? Consider if your product is vulnerable to breakage, moisture, light, or air, and incorporate the right protective features.
• How should your package function to support a positive customer experience? How can you make it easy to open? Reseal? Store? You’ve likely bought a product that was impossible to open without scissors or had a perishable food whose packaging didn’t reseal well enough to keep it fresh. These factors can have a big impact on customers’ perception of your brand. 
• What materials make the most sense for your brand? The materials you choose might depend on your brand values. For example, if sustainability is core to your brand, it’s important to explore sustainable packaging materials and make sure your packaging supplier offers them. If you’re a premium brand, consider equally premium features, like matte/gloss dual-finishes or soft touch laminates.

This step is often one of the most complex and daunting for our customers. Don’t worry; you don’t have to figure this out alone. Your packaging partner should be able to help you work through these decisions to choose packaging that will protect your product and elevate your brand.

Step 3: Design Graphics and Artwork

It’s now time to marry your visual design with the physical form of your package to ensure they work together well. This step matters, with 72% of Americans saying packaging design sways their decision to buy. 

To make this step smooth and successful, your designer and packaging partner need to be in sync. A good supplier will provide a ready-to-use template with all the right dielines and print specs, so your designer can confidently create something that looks as good on shelf as it does on screen.

When you start designing your package, consider:

• What design elements can you incorporate to help your product stand out? For example, you might choose colors that differentiate it from competitors, see-through windows for customers to see the product inside, metallic text treatments to add dimension and intrigue, and multi-sensory features like embellishments, laminates, or soft-touch finishes.
• How can you balance premium design features with cost-effective materials? There are creative ways to add premium touches to your package while staying on budget. For example, you could choose a standard pouch across your product lines but then design distinctive labels with premium features, like foil or tactile varnishes.
• How can you ensure brand consistency? If your colors print inconsistently between runs or across product lines, it creates an unprofessional brand experience that can impact how customers and retailers perceive you. Check with your packaging supplier about how they maintain color consistency.

Great packaging design isn’t just about creating the most beautiful design. It’s about creating something visually compelling that fits within your production and budget to meet the needs of retailers and customers alike.

Step 4: Refine Your Packaging With Prototypes

Once you have your design elements locked down, prototypes can be a good way to see and feel your package before moving forward with your first full order. Prototypes, which are high-quality mockups, are especially useful when you plan to be in front of customers at tradeshows or important meetings, to evaluate how potential customers react to a new product or brand extension, or to help investors see your vision brought to life to make their investment more tangible.

With a prototype in hand, you can answer questions like:

• Do I (and key stakeholders) like how it looks and feels? 
• Does the design translate well to our chosen materials? 
• How do any specialty embellishments, like metallic accents or soft-touch coatings, look and feel in person?
• Is it resonating with retailers, investors, and other key stakeholders?

A high-quality prototype can help you secure buy-in, boost confidence, and move faster toward full production. Think of it as your proof of concept, one that helps you get early feedback on your package and might just help you land your next big opportunity.

Step 5: Place Your First Commercial Order

Once you’ve checked all the boxes above, you’re ready for the most exciting part — placing your first production order! Here’s what to keep in mind as you take that final step:

• Only order what you need. Ordering the right quantity helps you avoid obsolete inventory, which is unusable packaging due to a design change or discontinued product line. Leftover packaging has budgetary and environmental impacts. 
• Order based on what the market demands. Stay flexible with new orders, and only place them based on how the market reacts to your product. But here’s the catch: You’re only as flexible as your packaging supplier. If you have unpredictable timelines, need to order small quantities, or have quick turnarounds, you need a partner who can reliably deliver on all of this.
• Consider the printing method. The printing method will also impact your packaging partner’s speed and flexibility. Digital printing allows for maximum flexibility and customization and supports quick changes. Conventional printing offers the most precise color matching and consistency. Does your printing partner offer one or both methods? You might want digital today, but moving to conventional might make sense as you grow. The right supplier will help you make the right choice for your business. 

Partnering with a reliable supplier who can meet you where you are today ensures efficient use of your resources, quick speed to market, and prevents costly obsolete inventory.

Belmark — Here to Help You Grow

At Belmark, we do more than make packaging. We’re experts dedicated to your success, from prototypes to production. We can scale seamlessly with our customers because we offer:

• No order minimums.
• Prototypes to iterate on your concept.
• Short-run digital printing lets you start small to test the market.
• A way for you to transition to conventional printing as you grow.
• Expertise to help you determine when and how to scale.

Whether you’re launching your first product or expanding your brand, we’re here to help you succeed. Our continuous reinvestment in technology means you’ll always have access to the best packaging solutions for your business, and we’ll always help you make the best decisions with your goals in mind.

Ready to bring your product to life? Let us help you.